Clinical Translation and First In-Human Use of [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 for PET Imaging of Metastasized Castrate-Resistant Prostate Cancer.

BACKGROUND: Various trivalent radiometals are well suited for labeling of DOTA-conjugated variants of Glu-ureido-based prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA) inhibitors. The DOTA-conjugate PSMA-617 has proven high potential in PSMA radioligand therapy (PSMA-RLT) of prostate cancer as well as PET imaging when labeled with lutetium-177 and gallium-68 respectively. Considering the relatively short physical half-life of gallium-68 this positron emitter precludes prolonged acquisition periods, as required for pre-therapeutic dosimetry or intraoperative applications. In this context, the positron emitter scandium-44 is an attractive alternative for PET imaging. We report the synthesis of [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 as radiopharmaceutical with generator produced scandium-44, its in vitro characterization and clinical translation as part of a first in-human study. METHODS: Scandium-44 was obtained from a 44Ti/44Sc radionuclide generator. PSMA-617 was labeled with 142.4±12.7 MBq of scandium-44 in analogy to [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-617 and evaluated in vitro and in cell studies using PSMA+ LNCaP cells. A first-in-human investigation was subsequently carried out in a cohort of 4 patients (mean age 70±1.8 a) registered for [177Lu]Lu-PSMA-617 therapy. 50.5±9.3 MBq (40 µg, 38.4 nmol) [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 were applied via intravenous injection (i.v.), respectively. A Siemens Biograph 2 PET/CT system was used to acquire initial dynamic PET data (30 min) of abdomen in list mode followed by static PET/CT data (skull to mid-thigh) at 45 min, 2 and 18 h post-injection (p.i.). For quantitative analysis, dynamic images were reconstructed as 6 data sets of 300 s each. The noise ratio was measured in liver, lung and an additional region outside the body. SUV values in different organs and lesions were measured and compared to [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 data of the same patients. Residence times and organ absorbed doses were calculated using OLINDA/EXM software. RESULTS: Quantitative radiochemical yields of ≥98 % were achieved using 18 nmol of PSMA-617 after 20 min at 95 °C with apparent molar activity of 6.69±0.78 MBq/nmol. Following purification, >99 % radiochemical purity was obtained. [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 showed high stability (>95 %) in serum for 24 h. The binding affinity and internalization fraction were determined in PSMA+ LNCaP cells (IC50 = 4.72±0.7 nM and internalization fraction: 15.78±2.14 % IA/106 LNCaP cells) and compared to [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 (12.0±2.8 nM and 9.47±2.56 % IA/106 LNCaP cells). Physiological tracer uptake was observed in kidneys, liver, spleen, small intestine, urinary bladder, and salivary glands and pathological uptake in both soft and skeletal metastases. SUV values were significantly lower in the kidneys (14.0) compared to [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 OET (30.5). All other measured SUV values did not show a statistically significant difference. Tumor to liver ratios were found to lie between 1.9 and 8.3 for [68Ga]Ga-PSMA-11 and between 2.5 and 8.8 for [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 after 120 min. For [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 the ratios were higher and no statistically significant differences were observed. Total and % activity were highest in liver followed by kidneys, spleen, small intestine and salivary glands. Rapid wash out was seen in liver and spleen and gradually over time in kidneys. Kidneys received the highest radiation absorbed dose of 0.354 (0.180-0.488) mSv/MBq. No adverse pharmacological effects were observed. CONCLUSION: In conclusion [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 PET is suitable for PET imaging of prostate cancer tissue. [44Sc]Sc-PSMA-617 shows promise to enable pre-therapeutic dosimetry in clinical settings. However, the clinical advantages for individual dosimetry or other applications like intraoperative applications have to be investigated in further studies.

Somatostatin receptor based PET/CT in patients with the suspicion of cardiac sarcoidosis: an initial comparison to cardiac MRI.

Diagnosis of cardiac sarcoidosis is often challenging. Whereas cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMR) and positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) are most commonly used to evaluate patients, PET/CT using radiolabeled somatostatin receptor (SSTR) ligands for visualization of inflammation might represent a more specific alternative. This study aimed to investigate the feasibility of SSTR-PET/CT for detecting cardiac sarcoidosis in comparison to CMR.15 patients (6 males, 9 females) with sarcoidosis and suspicion on cardiac involvement underwent SSTR-PET/CT imaging and CMR. Images were visually scored. The AHA 17-segment model of the left myocardium was used for localization and comparison of inflamed myocardium for both imaging modalities. In semi-quantitative analysis, mean (SUVmean) and maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of affected myocardium were calculated and compared with both remote myocardium and left ventricular (LV) cavity.SSTR-PET was positive in 7/15, CMR in 10/15 patients. Of the 3 CMR+/PET- subjects, one patient with minor involvement (<25% of wall thickness in CMR) was missed by PET. The remaining two CMR+/PET- patients displayed no adverse cardiac events during follow-up.In the 17-segment model, PET/CT yielded 27 and CMR 29 positive segments. Overall concordance of the 2 modalities was 96.1% (245/255 segments analyzed). SUVmean and SUVmax in inflamed areas were 2.0±1.2 and 2.6±1.2, respectively. The lesion-to-remote myocardium and lesion-to-LV cavity ratios were 1.8±0.2 and 1.9±0.2 for SUVmean and 2.0±0.3 and 1.7±0.3 for SUVmax, respectively.Detection of cardiac sarcoidosis by SSTR-PET/CT is feasible. Our data warrant further analysis in larger prospective series.

[The role of PET in lung cancer staging]. / Stellenwert der PET beim Staging des Lungenkarzinoms.

The precise staging of lymph-node and distant metastases is pivotal for the choice of surgical procedures and overall therapy planning for patients with lung cancer. FDG-PET/CT plays a central role in the diagnostic algorithm of patients with potentially curable disease. In patients with histologically proven lung cancer, FDG-PET/CT provides a higher diagnostic accuracy in the staging of lymph-node and distant metastases compared to staging with CT alone. Furthermore, as a whole body examination, FDG-PET/CT may replace further additional examinations. Prospective studies have also shown that the number of unnecessary thoracotomies and mediastinoscopies can be reduced by the inclusion of FDG-PET in the preoperative staging.

Therapeutic efficacy and toxicity of 225Ac-labelled vs. 213Bi-labelled tumour-homing peptides in a preclinical mouse model of peritoneal carcinomatosis.

PURPOSE: Targeted delivery of alpha-particle-emitting radionuclides is a promising novel option in cancer therapy. We generated stable conjugates of the vascular tumour-homing peptide F3 both with (225)Ac and (213)Bi that specifically bind to nucleolin on the surface of proliferating tumour cells. The aim of our study was to determine the therapeutic efficacy of (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 in comparison with that of (213)Bi-DTPA-F3. METHODS: ID(50) values of (213)Bi-DTPA-F3 and (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 were determined via clonogenic assays. The therapeutic efficacy of both constructs was assayed by repeated treatment of mice bearing intraperitoneal MDA-MB-435 xenograft tumours. Therapy was monitored by bioluminescence imaging. Nephrotoxic effects were analysed by histology. RESULTS: ID(50) values of (213)Bi-DTPA-F3 and (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 were 53 kBq/ml and 67 Bq/ml, respectively. The median survival of control mice treated with phosphate-buffered saline was 60 days after intraperitoneal inoculation of 1 × 10(7) MDA-MB-435 cells. Therapy with 6 × 1.85 kBq of (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 or 6 × 1.85 MBq of (213)Bi-DTPA-F3 prolonged median survival to 95 days and 97 days, respectively. While F3 labelled with short-lived (213)Bi (t (1/2) 46 min) reduced the tumour mass at early time-points up to 30 days after treatment, the antitumour effect of (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 (t (1/2) 10 days) increased at later time-points. The difference in the fraction of necrotic cells after treatment with (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 (43%) and with (213)Bi-DTPA-F3 (36%) was not significant. Though histological analysis of kidney samples revealed acute tubular necrosis and tubular oedema in 10-30% of animals after treatment with (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 or (213)Bi-DTPA-F3, protein casts were negligible (2%), indicating only minor damage to the kidney. CONCLUSION: Therapy with both (225)Ac-DOTA-F3 and (213)Bi-DTPA-F3 increased survival of mice with peritoneal carcinomatosis. Mild renal toxicity of both constructs favours future therapeutic application.